Turfing machine



NOV. 22, J, FOBEN 1,888379 TURFING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1932 I 4Sheets-Sheet 2 In venior ejbaa fo&en

A llomey Nov. 22, 1932.

J. FOBEN TURFING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 InventorI J22 0017 Taken A llomey .1. FOBEN TURFING MACHINE Nov. 22, 1932.

Filed Feb. 11, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invenior @006 aezz A/ aaih A Home yPatented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES JACOB FOBEN, OF JAMESBURG, NEWJERSEY TURFING- MACHINE Application filed February 11, 1932. Serial No.592,409.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in turfingmachines and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a machine of this character embodying a novelconstruction combination and arrangement of parts whereby carpets ofvarious dimensions may be rapidly turfed.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a turfingmachine embodying novel means for feeding the material beneath theturfing needles, a series of said needles being provided and mounted forvertical recip rocation.

Another important object of the invention is to. provide novel means forholding the material down during the withdrawal of the needlestherefrom.

Other objects of the invention are to pro- 0 Vide a turfing machine ofthe character described which will be simple in construction, strong,durable, efficient and reliable in operation and which may bemanufactured and maintained atlow cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein Figure 1 is a view in top planof a turfing machine constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section through the machine, the arrowsindicating the course of the material.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section through the upper portion of themachine showing the needles in their lowermost position and the holddown or foot retracted to inoperative position.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the upper portion of the machinelooking at the side thereof which carries the feed roller actuatingmechanism.

Figure 5 is a detail view in vertical sec- 50 tion showing the positionof the needles when about to enter the material with the foot about tobe moved to retracted position.

Figure 6 is a detail view in vertical section through one end portion ofthe machine showing the resilient means for anchoring the foot carriageand for actuating the same toward its operative position.

Figure 7 is a view in elevation of the upper portion of the machinelooln'ng at the opposite side thereof to that shown in Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a detail View showing the feed roller actuating andretaining pawls.

Figure 9 is a detail view in vertical section taken substantially on theline 99 of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a detail view in perspective of one of the foot actuatingcams.

Figure 11 is a detail view in top plan of in intermediate portion of theneedle comb Figure 12 is a detail view in vertical section through aportion of the vertically reciprocating needle bar with a needle inposition therein.

Figure 18 is a detail view in vertical section through the foot, thecarriage for said foot and one of the adjustable resilient braces forthe foot.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that thereference numeral 1 30 designates generally a supporting structurehaving a front built to support an inclined panel 2. Rising from the topof the supporting structure 1 are the uprights 3 having bearings attheir upper ends in which a shaft 4 is journallcd. Disks 5 are fixed onthe end portions of the shaft 4 outwardly of the uprights 3 for rotationwith said shaft 4. The shaft 4 may be rotated by any suitable means.

An angle bar 6 extends between the uprights 3 and is connected theretofor vertical sliding movement through the medium of the eyes 7 on theends of said angle bar. A needle bar 8 of angular cross section issecured to the bar 6. One side of the needle bar 7 projects forwardlyfrom the bar 6 and is provided with a series of openings for thereception of the turfing needles 9 which are re movably secured inposition through the medium of set screws 10. Pitmen 11 have 109 one endpivotally connected off center to the outer sides of the disks 5 andtheir other ends pivotally connected to the eyes 7 for reciprocating theturfing needles 9 in a vertical plane when the machine is in operation.

A spur equipped feed roller 12 is journaled in bearings 13 on the frontportion of the top of the supporting structure 1, one end portion of theshaft 14 of said feed roller projecting a distance beyond its bearingand having fixed thereon a ratchet gear 15. Rotatably connected to thisend portion of the feed roller shaft 14 is one end .of an actuatingtoggle 16 which has its other end pivotally connected by a pin and slotconnection 17 to a substantially U-shaped bracket 18 which is mounted onthe upper portion of the adjacent pitman 11. A spring pressed actuatingpawl 19 is pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the toggle 16 andis Operatively engaged with the ratchet gear 15, thus the feed roller 12is operatively connected to the shaft 4 for actuation thereby. A springactuated retaining pawl 20 is pivotally mounted on a support 21 whichrises from the structure 1, said retaining pawl being operativelyengageable with the ratchet gear 15.

Extending from the front to the rear of the upper portion of thesupporting structure 1 are the spaced, parallel, horizontal bars 22 uponwhich a carriage 23 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement. Mountedon the carriage 23 and projecting beyond one side thereof is a presserfoot 2 1 which is slightly angular in transverse section. This is illustrated to advantage in Figure 13 of the drawings. The ends of thepresser foot 24: are fixed to the carriage 23. At intermediate pointsthe presser foot 24; is braced against upward flexing by the bowed,resilient braces 25 having one end anchored to the presser foot andtheir other ends anchored to the carriage. The resilient braces 25 passthrough the guides 26 which are mounted vertically on the carriage 23.Adjusting screws 27 are threaded through the upper ends of the guides 26and engaged with the braces 25 for regulating the tension of saidbraces. A needle comb bar 28 extends across the upper portion of thesupporting structure 1 beneath the needles 9 and is of angular crosssection. As clearly seen in Figure 11 of the drawings, the slots of thecomb 28 are enlarged at their ends, as at 29, to accommodate theneedles. When in operative position, the projecting portion of the foot24: is disposed above the comb 28.

Arms 30 are mounted on the end portions of the carriage 23 and projectrearwardly beyond said carriage and have journaled on their free endportions the rollers 31. Cams 32 are mounted on the end portions of thebar 6 and depend therefrom for operative engagement with the rollers 31when the needles move downwardly. The cams 32 are secured A shaft 31 isj ournaled for rotation on the rear portion of the supporting structure1 and has fixed thereon the material su orting roller 35 from which thespurs 36 project. As illustrated to advantage in Figure 1 of thedrawings, one end portion of the shaft 3 1 projects beyond thesupporting structure 1 and has fixed thereon a spool 37. The spool 37 isto have connected thereto for winding thereon a weight supportingtensioning ca 1e or tape. The guide rod 38 is mounted on the upper rearportion of the supporting structure and a similar guide rod 39 ismounted on the supporting structure adjacent the rear of the comb 28.Another guide rod 40 is mounted on the supporting structure forwardly ofthe carriage 23 and directly beneath the feed roller 12.

In operation, the roll of material is mounted on the roller 35 and, asindicated by the arrows in Figure 2 of the drawings, is trained overtherods 38 and 39, between the comb 28 and the presser foot 24, beneath thecarriage 23, then between the rod &0 and the feed roller 12 where it isoperatively engaged by said feed roller and then passes beneath theadjacent upper portion of the supporting structure and extends down overthe inclined panel 2. When the shaft 411s rotated, the feed roller 12 isactuated in a manner to draw the material from the roller 35 in a stepby step fashion beneath the needles 9. Also, when the shaft 4: isrotated. the needles 9 are reciprocated vertically and are driventhrough the material, said needles passing through the comb 28. Whilethe needles are engaged in the material, said material is stationary.Just before the needles reach the material on the downward stroke, thecams 32 engage the rollers 31 and actuate the carriage 23 to withdrawthe presser foot 24 from the path of the needles. The carriage 23 isyieldingly retained on the bars 22 by the coil springs 41 having one endanchored to said carriage and their other ends anchored to thesupporting structure. Coil springs 12 also have one end connected to thecarriage 23 and their other ends connected to the supporting structure,as best seen in Figure 6 of the drawings, and are arranged to yieldinglyurge the carriage and the presser foot toward operative position. Whenthe needles are about to be withdrawn from the material, the presserfoot is in engagement with said material at a point closely adjacent theneedles and immediately after the needles clear the material, thepresser foot moves to its former position and prevents damage to theturfs which have ust been formed.

It is believed that the many advantages of a turfing machine constructedin accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, andalthough the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction and in the combinationand arrangement of parts may beresorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is 1. A turfing machine comprising a supportingstructure, a needle bar mounted for vertical reciprocation on thesupporting structure, a series of needles mounted on the needle bar,means for actuating the needle bar, means for feeding the materialbeneath the needle bar for operative engagement by the needles, ashiftable presser foot mounted on the supporting structure andengageable with the material beneath the needles, and means operativelyconnecting the presser foot to the needle bar for actuation thereby in amanner to shift the presser foot from the needles on the operatingstroke of the needles.

2. A turfing machine comprising a supporting structure, a needle barmounted for vertical reciprocation on the supporting structure, a seriesof needles mounted on the needle bar, means for actuating the needlebar, means for feeding the material beneath the needle bar for operativeengagement by the needles, a shiftable presser foot mounted on thesupporting structure and engageable with the material beneath theneedles, and means operatively connecting the presser foot to the needlebar for actuation thereby in a manner to shift the presser foot from theneedles on the operating stroke of the needles, and resilient meansoperatively connected with the presser foot for returning said presserfoot to its former position on the retracting stroke of the needles.

3. A turfing machine comprising a supporting structure, a needle barmounted for vertical reciprocation on the supporting structure, a seriesof needles mounted on the needle bar, means for actuating the needlebar, means for feeding the material beneath the needle bar forengagement by the needles, a carriage slidably mounted on the supportingstructure, a presser foot mounted on the carriage and engageable withthe material beneath the needles.

4. A turfing machine comprising a supporting structure, a needle barmounted for vertical reciprocation on the supporting structure, a seriesof needles mounted on the needle bar, means for actuating the needlebar, means for feeding the material beneath the needle bar forengagement by the needles, a carriage slidably mounted on the supportingstructure, a presser foot mounted on the carriage and engageable withthe material beneath the needles, and means operatively connecting thecarriage to the needle bar for actuationthereby on. the downwardmovement of said needle bar for withdrawing the presser foot frombeneath the needles.

5. A turfing machine comprising a supporting structure, a needle barmounted for vertical reciprocation on the supporting structure, a seriesof needles mounted on the needle bar, means for actuating the needlebar, means for feeding the material beneath the needle bar forengagement by the needles, a carriage slidably mounted on the supportingstructure, a presser foot mounted on the carriage and engageable withthe material beneath the needles, and means operatively connecting thecarriage to the needle bar for actuation thereby on the downward movement of said needle bar for withdrawing the presser foot from beneaththe needles, the last named means including rollers mounted on thecarriage, and cams mounted on the needle bar and operatively engageablewith the rollers.

6. A turfing machine comprising a supporting structure, a series ofneedles mountedfor vertical reciprocation on the supporting structure,means for actuating the needles, means for feeding the material beneaththe needles for engagement by said needles, a

carriage slidably mounted on the supporting

